Geoffrey FitzClarence, 3rd Earl of Munster, (18 July 1859 - 2 February 1902), was an English aristocrat, and the great-grandson of King William IV by his mistress Dorothea Jordan.
Born Geoffrey George Gordon FitzClarence, he was the son of William FitzClarence, 2nd Earl of Munster (19 May 1824 - 30 April 1901) and Wilhelmina Kennedy-Erskine (27 June 1830 - 9 October 1906). His parents were first cousins, thus making Geoffrey a great-grandson of William IV twice over. His grandfather on his paternal side was Lord George Augustus FitzClarence and his grandmother on his maternal side was Lady Augusta FitzClarence, who were brother and sister.
Geoffrey was the third son of nine children. His elder brothers, Edward and Lionel, both died before reaching their majority. Edward died at the age of 14, Lionel as a young child.
Geoffrey was commissioned into the British Army as a Captain with the King's Royal Rifle Corps, 2nd Battalion. He took part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879 at the age of 19, and the First Boer War in 1881. He was commissioned as a Major with the Royal Scots Lothian Regiment, 3rd Battalion and saw action in the Second Boer War from 1899-1902. He received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). It was during this last engagement that he received notice of his father's death and his succession to the Munster title.
He never returned to England to take his place, dying in South Africa just nine months after succeeding his father, at the age of 42. Given that he never married and had no children, the title passed to his brother Aubrey.
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William FitzClarence |
Earl of Munster 1901–1902 |
Succeeded by Aubrey FitzClarence |